Jean-Marie Bertrand’s scholarly study examines Plato’s *Laws* through the relationship between written composition and oral practices in ancient Greek civic life. Focusing on the form, transmission, and public use of legal and political discourse, the book reads the dialogue as a place where writing, speech, memory, and deliberation intersect. Bertrand brings philological and historical analysis, alongside philosophical interpretation, to the *Laws*, showing how Plato’s text engages with the oral culture of the Greek city while also reflecting on the authority of written law. This work is suited to readers of ancient philosophy, classical studies, and Greek political thought.